Gurudwara Panja Sahib

Hasan Abdal is an Ancient city situated
at a distance of 45 kilometres from Rawalpindi to the west side of the
mountain. It is hilly area. A few places have natural fountains. Saintly
persons usually take abode there. Wali Qandhari had established a celebrated
dera at Hasan Abdal, near a natural fountain. The dera had a specific
significance for giving boon to the man of the faith and punishing the
non-believers. Guru Nanak along with Bhai
Mardana reached Hasan Abdal in Baisakh Samwat 1578 B.K. corresponding
to 1521 A.D. in the summer season. Under a shady cool tree, Guru Nanak
and Bhai Mardana started reciting Kirtan, the devotees gathered together
which annoyed Wali Qandhari but he was helpless. According to a legend,
Bhai Mardana was sent three times to Wali Qandhari so that the former
might quench his thirst. Wali Qandhari refused and even used harsh words
for him. Despite all of this, Mardana still very politely stuck to his
demand. The Wali ironically remarked : Why don't you ask your Master whom
you serve? Mardana reached the holy presence of Guru in a miserable state
and qouthed. "Oh lord ! I prefer to death to thirst but will not
approach the Wali, the egoist." The true Lord said smilingly,"
Oh Bhai Mardana ! Repeat the Name of God, the Almighty; and drink the
water to your heart's content." The Guru put aside a big piece of
stone lying nearby, Where a pure fountain of water sprang up and began
to flow endlessly. Bhai Mardana quenched his thirst and felt grateful
to the Creater. On the other hand, the fountain of Wali Qandhari got dried
up like vanishing of comforts and conveniences of an unfortunate fellow.
On witnessing the wondrous act, the Wali in rage, threw a part of a mountain
towards the Guru from the top of the hill. The true Lord halted the hurled
stone with his hand. An indelibe mark of Guru's hand was inserted in the
stone. Observing that miracle, the ego of Wali vanished and he became
the Guru's fast devotee. Several attempts were made to deface the impression
of the hand of the Guru but all of non avial and the mark remained for
ever and ever. This holy and revered place is now known as Panja Sahib.
Sardar Hari Singh Nalwa after conquering the Sindh province during the
Sikh rule, got erected a huge building of Gurdwara and a sarovar there.
The control of the administration of the Gurdwara remained with the hereditery
Mahant. After passing away of Mahant Mittha Singh about whom the people
had grievances, a march was led by Bhai Kartar Singh Jhabbar, to get control
of Gurdwara. The Jatha reached Panja Sahib on 18 november, 1920 and the
S.G.P.C. gained possession. The local managing committee. erected a new
building of the Gurdwara and extended the existed sarai for more accomodation.
The Baisakhi fair held at Panja Sahib was worth seeing. During the peaceful
morcha of Guru-Ka-Bagh, one of the jathas of the sikhs was brutally beaten
by the British administrators and the capacity of the Sikhs for suffering
and resisitance was put to trail. While the authorities indulged in lathi
charge, the peaceful Singhs were raising the slogan : Ultimate victory
belongs to the truth (Sat Sri Akal). The wounded were carried on motor
vehicles to Amritsar. They were hungry for the last two-three days and
were despatched to Attock jail by Rail. The Sikh Sangats at Panja Sahib
received an intimation that the hungry Singhs were taken to Attock by
rail. Arrangements were made for their food at Railway Station. The Jathedar
requested the station master to stop the train but he refused to do so
as it was not destined to halt the train. Jathedar Karam Singh argued
with the station master and said that if there were any such instructions
from his masters for not stopping the train, It was the ordered by his
master, the Almighty, that the train must stop. After concluding an Ardasa,
the Singhs lied down on the railway lines. The Jatha was
being led by Bhai Karam Singh (Manager Gurdwara Panja Sahib) and Bhai
Partap Singh. Thus, the Singhs stopped the train on 31st October, 1922
by laying down there lives. The train which was not destined to make halt
there, made stoppage for one and a half hour and the food was duly servrd
to the Singhs. Bhai Karam Singh and Bhai Partap Singh were martyred and
six Sikhs received serious injuries. There stands no memorial for this
incident. The administration of this Gurdwara is with Pakistan Waqf board.
A particular Jatha visits this place on the eve of the Baisakhi festival.
A Singh resides in the campus of the Gurdwara from the board and maintains
tha pious Maryada.
Gurudwara Panja (lit. palm) Sahib was established during the reign of
Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Its control remained with a line of mahants until
Jathedar Kartar Singh Jhabbar and his small band of Akali reformers occupied
it on 17th-18th September 1920. A heroic incident which occurred at Hasan
Abdal on 30th October 1922 made the place more prominent. Guru Ka Bagh
Morcha was on. A train full of Sikh prisoners was on its way to Miariwali
Central Jail. Sikh sangat of Panja Sahib arranged to serve meals to the
prisoners at Hasan Abdal railway station, but the authorities refused
to stop the train there. A band of Sikhs headed by Bhai Partap Singh,
an empolyee of the Gurudwara, and Bhai Karam Singh, a pilgrim to the shrine,
squatted on the rail track in order to force the train to halt. The train
did stop but not before mowing down a number of nonviolent resistors of
whom the above two succumbed to their injuries.
The foundation of the beautiful three-storey building, designed after
the samadh of Maharaja Ranjit Singh in Lahore, was laid on 14th October
1932 by five eminent holymen, Panj Piare. Built with grey sandstone, its
exterior is spotted with protruding domed bay windows. The central fluted
dome is surrounded by several symmetrically placed big and small domed
kiosks. Unlike the Maharaja's samadh in Lahore, it has porches covering
entrances to the sanctum which stands within the sarovar that receives
water gushing forth from around the rock bearing the sacred Parija Sahib
or the palm-imprint of the Guru. Several other buildings for staff and
pilgrims and other ,ancillaries were added subsequently. Guru ka Langar
at Panija Sahib was famous for the quality of food and service at all
hours day and night. Congregational fair used to be held on Baisakhi (mid-April)
and On 30th October until 1947. Now only ,organised bands of pilgrims
occasionally visit Panja Sahib with the permission of the Pakistan government.
One of such regular visits coincides with the Baisakhi festival.

Acknowledgements:

Text and photographs: Gurdwara
Gurdham at Pakistan, written by Roop Singh and Published by SGPC

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The etymology of the term 'gurdwara' is from the words 'Gur (ਗੁਰ)' (a reference to the Sikh Gurus) and 'Dwara (ਦੁਆਰਾ)' (gateway in Gurmukhi), together meaning 'the gateway through which the Guru could be reached'. Thereafter, all Sikh places of worship came to be known as gurdwaras.

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